Dr. J. Scott Angle named provost of the University of Florida
Dr. J. Scott Angle has been named provost of the University of Florida. UF President Ben Sasse announced the appointment on January 9.
“Many of the folks on our excellent search committee recommended that we take the ‘interim’ out of his title. Effective immediately, we’re doing just that,” Sasse said. “We had some extraordinary semi-finalists and finalists, but we decided not to make an offer when Scott is doing such excellent work. Scott has earned the trust and admiration of his colleagues in each of UF’s 16 colleges. We are grateful for his servant leadership and his commitment to this land-grant university’s world-changing mission.”
“Serving UF is a great honor, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to continue this important work,” Dr. Angle said. “We are going to accomplish extraordinary things together.”
President Sasse added that the search committee co-chairs, Dr. Saby Mitra and Dr. Duane Mitchell, will continue to serve as advisors on UF’s academic excellence initiative, helping advise Sasse and Dr. Angle on important reforms within the Provost’s Office.
“Over the last five months, Scott has broken down bureaucratic silos. This is critical work that enables the provost to focus on the core mission of serving as UF’s chief academic officer,” Sasse said. “Reaching our 10x10x10 objective – 10 top 10 programs in the next 10 years – depends on a new structure that allows the provost to execute our bold mission rather than exclusively tending to the operations of every bureaucratic process. Whether it’s harmonizing our academic budget with the CFO’s office or leveraging data to improve student outcomes, we’ve got a lot of work ahead, and Scott has rolled up his sleeves.”
“Dr. Angle will bring incredible expertise and leadership to the role of provost,” said Dr. Mitra, dean of the Warrington College of Business and co-chair of the provost search committee. “He is the absolute right person for the job, and his commitment to UF is evident in everything he does. I look forward to all the outstanding work I know he will do for the university.”
Search committee co-chair Dr. Mitchell – UF’s assistant vice president for research, and associate dean for clinical and translational sciences at the UF College of Medicine – agreed.
“Dr. Angle has already proven what an asset he is to UF, and he will continue to take the university to another level of excellence and prestige,” Dr. Mitchell said. “I’m grateful for his service and leadership, and I’m very excited to watch him excel in this role.”
Dr. Danaya Wright, UF Faculty Senate president, praised the appointment. “Scott Angle has proved to be a staunch supporter of shared governance and has done an excellent job so far bringing continuity to UF,” said Dr. Wright. “I look forward to continuing the Senate’s work with his office and applaud the decision to remove the interim label so we all can move forward on some important next steps toward further excellence.”
Dr. Angle’s 40-plus-year career in agricultural science, during which he has worked toward ending world hunger and reducing human suffering, includes decades of leadership experience as dean of a college of agriculture, CEO of a global nonprofit organization, and director of the research funding arm of the United States Department of Agriculture. He has served as UF’s senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources, and as the administrative head of the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) since July 2020. Dr. Rob Gilbert will continue to lead UF/IFAS in those roles.
Dr. Angle succeeds Dr. Joseph Glover, who served as UF’s provost for 15 years. Dr. Angle holds a bachelor of science degree in agronomy, and a master of science degree in soil microbiology and chemistry, from the University of Maryland. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Missouri with an emphasis on soil microbiology, and he is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
###
About the University of Florida
The University of Florida attracts the best and brightest students, staff and faculty, places them together and connects them with world-class resources to spark extraordinary discoveries and innovations. UF’s momentum is reflected in the university’s designation as a No. 1 public university in the country by the Wall Street Journal. Artificial intelligence is a centerpiece at UF, spanning all disciplines so that every student has the opportunity to acquire competence and expertise in AI. The University of Florida is a place where limitless potential meets boundless opportunity through teaching, research, scholarship and service to the state, the nation and the world.
Working on a story and still need help? You can reach us at 850-323-0353 or news@ufl.edu, and we will respond promptly. You can find an expert for your next story here.
–
Media Contact:
Steve Orlando
352-846-3903
sfo@ufl.edu